


Breathe in, Breathe out

by layla_aaron



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-15
Updated: 2012-07-15
Packaged: 2017-11-09 23:59:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/459952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/layla_aaron/pseuds/layla_aaron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The connection between Penelope & JJ and Penelope & Emily is tested by gunshots, forced resignations, and faked deaths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breathe in, Breathe out

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for 3x09 (Penelope), 6x02 (JJ), and 6x18 (Lauren)
> 
> Criminal Minds and its characters are the property of CBS. No infringement intended.

_JJ/Penelope:_  
 _Breathe in, breathe out; breathe in, breathe out._ Numbness set in as she sat and waited for word from the doctors. Of all the people in her world, JJ could not imagine why anyone would want to hurt Penelope. Sweet, quirky, endearing Penelope. The thought of losing this ray of sunshine out of her life made her realize how much she cared for the other woman. She jumped at the touch of someone’s hand covering hers. She gazed at their joined hands then turned her head to look at Emily. Did the other woman feel the same sense of emptiness she did? Did Emily understand how much Penelope meant to her? Did she herself even know how much Penelope meant to her?

_Penelope/JJ:_  
 _Breathe in, breathe out; breathe in, breathe out._ Penelope struggled to hold back her tears. The news of JJ’s departure hit her like a kick to the chest. How could Hotch allow the team, their little family, to be broken up in this fashion? How could Strauss stand by and quietly watch her best team be torn apart? Why was no one doing anything to stop this insanity? She held back the tears as long as she could, but watching the other woman turn and leave her office broke the dam. She felt like her heart poured out of her chest with her tears. For once in her life, Penelope didn’t care that she was an ugly crier. The heart of the team walked out the door with JJ.

 

_Emily/Penelope:_  
 _Breathe in, breathe out; breathe in, breathe out._ Emily kept reminding herself to breathe. Who would dare to hurt Penelope? Why would anyone hurt her? Of all the members of the team, Penelope would be the last person she’d expect to have an enemy. She wracked her brain in a feeble attempt to figure out who might want to shoot the tech analyst, but nothing sprang to mind. No stranger to crime scenes, Emily didn’t want to imagine Penelope lying on the steps to her building, helpless after being shot. No, she wanted to remember the brilliant smiles and mischievous grins of the woman who flirted outrageously with Morgan. She wanted to remember the bright, somewhat inappropriate for work outfits that showed off Penelope’s cleavage. Hell, she’d settle for remembering the numerous views of the valley between Penelope’s breasts. Anything but the current image haunting her - Penelope lying in her own blood as her life essence seeped out of her.

_Penelope/Emily:_  
 _Breathe in, breath out; breathe in, breathe out._ Penleope forced herself to remember Emily’s smiles. She forced herself to think of the time Reid did physics magic and the plastic film canister hit the brunette in the middle of her forehead. Their little family was falling apart, and she’d never felt so helpless. Without being overly dramatic, she thought she could safely say this was the worst thing that had happened to her since her parents’ deaths. Penelope wondered if anyone felt like this after she had been shot? If anyone else felt like their heart had been ripped out of their chest, and all that remained was a gaping hole?


End file.
